For a violinist, notes in a given key must be chosen by placing certain left-hand fingers on various strings for every hand position, for a total of 24 keys. (It may be counted as only 12 keys since major and minor are relative and share the same key signature). Understandably, at a beginner or intermediate skill level, one can hardly play music of more than four or five sharps or flats, or at higher registers because of the multitude of finger patterns in different positions and keys.
Through the years, various methods for left-hand finger patterns have been taught (Baillot, Flesch, Gerle etc.,). Yet, most stop short of exploring beyond one string level and a few simple keys, let alone constructing systematic finger patterns in relation to key and position. In other words, there is a lack of an overall picture of four-string-finger-patterns in the study of positions in all keys. The present invention is directed to a left-hand-finger-pattern study that teaches a thorough knowledge in this field. Most examples discussed herein are directed specifically to the study of violin, but the methods apply equally well to other stringed instruments such as viola, cello, bass, mandolin, and guitar.